Rural Policing

Baroness Cohen of Pimlico: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether improvements in rural policing will result from the £15 million announced on 15 June (WA 211).

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Chief officers will target the money as they see fit, keeping their local communities informed of where improvements can be expected.
	Guidance to be issued under the Local Government Act 1999 will require those police authorities which were given a share of the money to provide a clear account in their Best Value Performance Plans. For the previous year they will set out: what improvement they sought with the money, which Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) were used to measure their performance, and how they performed. For the forthcoming year, they will detail: what improvement they seek and which BVPIs will be used to measure that. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary will inspect forces on the basis of that statement.

Prisons: Purchase of Computer Equipment

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What powers the Governors of HM Prisons have to order small items of information technology capital equipment such as printer replacements.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: On 29 February 2000, HM Prison Service and Electronic Data Systems Ltd (EDS) entered into a contractual partnership agreement (Public Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnership) for the provision to include the supply of IT and telephony services. Following contract award, we entered a period of transition designed to prepare for the transfer of responsibilities and capabilities to EDS. EDS assumed responsibility formally on 3 July 2000. This is known as Cutover date. The term of the partnership is for 12 years, with the replacement of existing infrastucture to take place gradually across the service in the first two years following Cutover.
	A user guide was issued in June explaining to all Prison Service managers how to use the EDS service in the interim. For example, faulty or broken equipment will be repaired or replaced by EDS in response to a call to their helpdesk.

Police Officers: Retirement on Health Grounds

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, when consideration is given to eligibility for ill health retirement under the Police Pensions Regulations, it is appropriate in modern circumstances to require that the applicant should be able to fulfil the full range of duties of a constable.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Under the Police Pensions Regulations an officer may be retired on the grounds of permanent disablement if he or she is unable to perform the "ordinary duties of a male or female member of the force". The term "ordinary duties" is not defined further. In practice, forces have tended to adopt a flexible approach and have normally considered whether an officer is able to carry out sufficient of the duties for the rank concerned to make retention operationally justified.
	This approach has, however, been called into question by a determination of the Court of Appeal this year that a police officer's "ordinary duties" should be interpreted to include operational duties. This interpretation may result in more officers being certified to be permanently disabled from performing the ordinary duties of a police officer. Under the regulations it is, however, a matter for the police authority to decide whether or not the officer should be retired on health grounds. If there is a sufficient range of duties that the officer is capable of undertaking, there is no requirement for the police authority to set a date for retirement.
	There are, however, clear grounds for amending the current regulations so that it is put beyond doubt that a police officer is not permanently disabled if able to perform a sufficient range of the duties expected of his or her rank. We will be consulting the police service about the precise terms of revised regulations shortly.

Electoral Registration Form: Distribution with Additional Material

Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they approve of local authorities distributing voluntary questionnaires to householders with the statutory form for the electoral register; whether they have examined the distribution by the London Borough of Lambeth of a survey on energy efficiency attached to the electoral registration form; and whether they have estimated the effect of such practices on the level of electoral registration.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: It is left to individual Electoral Registration Officers to decide on the best and most efficient way of conducting their annual canvass of electors. It is an offence under paragraph 29 of the Representation of the People Regulations 1986 to fail to complete, or to complete falsely, an electoral registration form. The overall rate of registration remains high, at over 95 per cent nationally. I understand that the Electoral Registration Officer in Lambeth considers that the inclusion of an energy efficiency survey form in each of the last three years has not affected the rate of voter registration.

Criminal Record: Definition

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the definition of a criminal record.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: There is no definition of a criminal record for all purposes. A criminal record is most commonly taken to mean a record of convictions at court.

General Abacha: Assets

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether four months ago the Nigerian Government requested assistance from the British Government to trace money looted and then laundered by Nigeria's former ruler, General Abacha, as reported in the Financial Times of 20 October; and if so, what was the Government's response.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: It is the Home Office's practice to treat letters of request for assistance in criminal matters from foreign governments confidentially, as communications between two states. We are normally therefore unable to confirm or deny that we have received a request.
	However, given the press coverage already received by this matter, we can confirm that in June 2000 the Home Office received a request from the Nigerian Government to trace and freeze assets alleged to have been illegally removed from Nigeria by the late Sani Abacha and his family and associates.
	Our response was to consider the request in the context of the requirements of the UK legislation governing mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, in this case the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Designated Countries and Territories) Order 1991, as amended. We have asked for further information from the Nigerian Government, and it is this information which we are now awaiting. To proceed without having established all the relevant facts could render the Secretary of State liable to legal challenge through a judicial review.

General Abacha: Assets

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, at the request of the Nigerian authorities, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have frozen funds believed to have been looted by General Abacha, Nigeria's former ruler, and his family, and deposited in accounts in those countries; and whether the United Kingdom Government have agreed to freeze similar funds believed to have been deposited in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Home Office understands that Switzerland and Liechtenstein have frozen assets alleged to have been removed from Nigeria by the late General Abacha and his associates. The UK Government can agree to freeze any similar funds that may have been deposited in the United Kingdom only once they have ensured that all the requirements for carrying out the request for asset freezing have been satisfied.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the review, announced last year, of the rehabilitation periods contained in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 has not yet started; when it will start; and what will be the form of the review.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has been considering whether a more comprehensive review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 should be undertaken. He hopes to make an announcement shortly.

London String of Pearls Millennium Festival

Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the London String of Pearls Millennium Festival is proving to be a success; and whether they will encourage such national treasures along the River Thames to consider opening to the public on a permanent basis.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The London String of Pearls Millennium Festival, to which the Millennium Commission awarded a grant of £50,000, is proving to be a great success and will continue through to the end of the year. Highlights so far include an exhibition of the Goldsmith's Company's private collection of 20th Century Silver, Gold, Jewellery and Art medals; the public opening of Custom House, and the "Voters of the Future" exhibition in Westminster Hall.
	Many of the landmark buildings involved in the Festival, such as the Tate Galleries and the Globe are open to the public all year round. It would clearly be difficult for working buildings such as the Royal Courts of Justice and Lambeth Palace to be open to the public all year round beyond that access which is normally allowed. The Government do, however, agree that their buildings should be accessible to the public as often as possible and they support such initiatives as Heritage Open Days.

Sir Richard Branson

Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have met Sir Richard Branson since the passage of the National Lottery Act 1998.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The former Minister for Sport, Mr Tony Banks, met Sir Richard Branson on 24 June 1999 to discuss the work of the Tobacco Task Force. No other Minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has met Sir Richard Branson since the passage of the National Lottery Act 1998.

Sir Richard Branson

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport next plan to meet Sir Richard Branson.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have no plans at present to meet Sir Richard Branson.

Sir Richard Branson

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have discussed the issue of the next National Lottery licence with Sir Richard Branson since the passage of the National Lottery Act 1998.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No Minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has discussed the next National Lottery licence with Sir Richard Branson since the passage of the National Lottery Act 1998.

European Council, Biarritz

Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total cost of their representation at the informal European Council in Biarritz.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Europe attended the informal European Council in Biarritz. The cost of air travel for Ministers and accompanying officials was £17,000. It is not yet possible to provide a figure for the total cost of representation at the informal Council as some bills have yet to be submitted.

Parliamentary Scrutiny of Treaties

Baroness Serota: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they plan to respond to the Second Report of the House of Commons Procedure Committee of Session 1999-2000: Parliamentary Scrutiny of Treaties (HC210).

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government's response to the Procedure Committee's report was presented to Parliament yesterday in the form of an unnumbered Command Paper. Copies are available from the Printed Paper Office.

BBC World Service: Relocation to Broadcasting House

Baroness Serota: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they support the recent decision of the BBC to move the BBC World Service to Broadcasting House.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The BBC announced on 30 October that the BBC World Service will move from Bush House to Broadcasting House at the end of 2006. We welcome and endorse this decision, about which we have been kept fully informed.
	We are confident that the World Service will maintain in Broadcasting House the standards and traditions that have made it the world's best known and most respected voice in international broadcasting. The new location will be better suited than Bush House to enable the World Service to meet the challenges of the digital age--for which the Government made available an additional £64 million in the recent Spending Review--and to work to maximum effect with key BBC partners.
	It also offers better value for money than remaining at Bush House.

British-Russian and British East-West Centres: Annual Report

Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the annual report of the British-Russian Centre/British East-West Centre will be available.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Copies of the centres' annual report for Financial Year 1999-2000 were placed in the Library of the House last week. The centres received grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £230,850 to support their activities in 1999-2000. In addition, the centres secured funding of £257,130 for direct expenditure on projects. The centres manage projects to promote and support the development of democratic institutions and the rule of law and society in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Activities last year included organisation of the UK team of OSCE observers to the Russian Duma elections, hosting a human rights seminar in Minsk, co-hosting a conference on the Russian economy and organising visits and lectures.
	The FCO's Quinquennial Review of the centres in 1999 confirmed that the centres continued to make a valuable contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations with Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The review's main recommendation was that the FCO's grant-in-aid should be spent on the project work of the centres and that membership activities should become self-financing. The centres have begun to implement this recommendation.

Kosovo: Hydraulic Lifting Equipment Export Licence

Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they approved the issue of an export licence to supply hydraulic lifting equipment to Kosovo for use by the Irish Kosovo Force (KFOR) contingent.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are happy to approve an export licence for the supply of spare parts for the maintenance of hydraulic lifting systems for use by the Irish KFOR contingent. The goods will assist KFOR in the valuable work they are doing reconstructing a peaceful Kosovo.
	These goods appear on the UK's Military List. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the supply of arms and related material to the FRY. However, UNSCR 1244 (1999) provides that the prohibitions imposed by SCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo.

UNHCR: Accounting Discrepancy

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What information was given to the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about the discrepancy between actual expenditure on non-expendable property of $68.4 million and the amount recorded by the MINDER system of $4 million; whether this relates only to assets acquired during the year 1999; and what amount, within the total, was paid to implementing partners.

Baroness Amos: The Report of the Board of Auditors to the General Assembly on the Accounts of the Voluntary Funds Administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the year ended 31 December 1999 was presented to the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee on 27-28 September 2000. The discrepancy between actual expenditure on non-expendable property and the amount recorded by the MINDER system was noted in the audit report. The Standing Committee concluded that UNHCR had taken forward the major recommendations of the 1998 audit report, but did not discuss individual aspects of the report in detail.
	The 1999 audit report on UNHCR will be discussed later this month at a meeting of the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly.

UNHCR: MINDER Asset Management System

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total expenditure on the MINDER system, including staff costs, up to the end of 1999.

Baroness Amos: Questions of expenditure by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on specific budget items, such as the MINDER asset management system, should be addressed to UNHCR's Division of Resource Management. I have forwarded your question to the Division of Resource Management, which will respond to you directly.
	For future reference, their address is Division of Resource Management, UNHCR, Case Postale 2500, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland.

UNHCR: AssetTrak System

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the AssetTrak system, which was intended to replace the MINDER system on 1 January, is now scheduled to come into operation; and how the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees intends to secure the integrity of records used as balances of non-expendable property that would be uploaded to the new system.

Baroness Amos: Questions on the implementation of the AssetTrak asset management system by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should be addressed to UNHCR's Division of Resource Management, I have forwarded your question to the Division of Resource Management, which will respond to you directly.
	For future reference, their address is Division of Resource Management, UNHCR, Case Postale 2500, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland.

Millennium Dome

Baroness Anelay of St. Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which Minister or Ministers had sight of the reports presented in June 1997 to the Millennium Commission by Deloitte & Touche and by Mr Bob Stubbs prior to Cabinet approval for the Millennium Dome project.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Ministers had access to a range of advice, including the reports by Deloitte & Touche and BDO Stoy Hayward, to whom Bob Stubbs was an adviser, prior to their decision in June 1997 to go ahead with the Millennium Experience project.

Post Office Company

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to submit the draft Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Post Office Company to parliamentary scrutiny before it is adopted by the sole shareholder.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government intend to lay copies of the proposed Memorandum & Articles of Association of the Post Office Company in the Libraries of each House as soon as they are ready to be put to an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders.

Post Office Company

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is the case that the only person entitled to enforce the terms of the Articles of Association of the Post Office Company will be the sole shareholder; and, if so, what steps would be taken by them and what sanctions would be available if there were a breach of the article requiring the prior disclosure of major transactions in accordance with Stock Exchange requirements.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The noble Baroness is correct that the Articles of Association of the Post Office Company will form a contract between the Post Office Company and its shareholder and it will be for the shareholder to enforce the terms of the articles.
	The shareholder will be able to call the directors to account in all the normal ways available to shareholders, including calling Extraordinary General Meetings of the company, taking legal action for breach of contract and/or calling for and voting on dismissal of directors.

Post Office Company

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is still their view, as expressed by the Minister for Science on 11 July (H.L. Deb., col. 181) that, in comparison with inserting a provision in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Post Office Company, disclosure of major transactions in line with Stock Exchange requirements would be "unnecessarily onerous and inflexible"; and, if so, in what way do the Post Office Company's commercial operations differ from ordinary commercial concerns.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Post Office Company will be subject to the Postal Services Act and to the relevant provisions of the Companies Acts.
	Our purpose has been to ensure a regime for disclosure of information to shareholders analogous to that obtaining for the generality of commercial undertakings. Had the disclosure requirements been fixed by statute, they would not have been able to develop in line with changes in commercial practice and in the Stock Exchange Listing Rules. The Post Office Company would also have been denied the flexibility which is available to listed companies through consulting the UK Listing Authority at an early stage about the application of the rules to a particular transaction.

German Parcel

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who were the "number of people" within the Department of Trade and Industry referred to by the Minister for Science on 12 October (H.L. Deb., col. 497) to whom the draft report of the National Audit Office relating to the acquisition of German Parcel was shown on 27 June.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Drafts of the National Audit Office report on German Parcel were shown to DTI officials responsible for postal services and for finance and resource management who commented on their factual accuracy. The Comptroller and Auditor General sent a final draft of the report to the DTI Accounting Officer on 27 June and he replied on 14 July.

German Parcel

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what dates the Minister for Science himself first saw a draft report and the final report respectively of the National Audit Office on the acquisition by the Post Office of German Parcel.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: National Audit Office audit reports are concerned with the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which departments carry out their role. Drafts are shown to the department being audited so that it can comment on factual accuracy. They are not normally shown in advance of publication to Ministers or to Members of Parliament.
	I did not see a draft of the NAO report on the acquisition by the Post Office of German Parcel. I was, however, briefed about the report when the noble Baroness made clear that she had obtained a copy.
	I first saw the published report on the weekend of 7-8 October.

German Parcel

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Sir Michael Scholar, or any other senior official of the Department of Trade and Industry, was aware when they received the draft report of the NAO on the acquisition by the Post Office of German Parcel prior to the Report stage and Third Reading of the Postal Services Bill that an amendment was being proposed dealing with the matter of disclosure of major transactions in line with the Stock Exchange procedures; whether the department's intention to agree with the National Audit Office's proposals was brought to the Minister's attention prior to either of the two debates on the amendment; and, if not, why not.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The departmental accounting officer and officials were aware both of Ministers' policy on disclosure requirements and of the noble Baroness' amendment when they commented on the final draft of the NAO report. In seeking comments from the accounting officer on its draft report, the NAO was not inviting the department to agree to specific policy proposals. The department's comments related to the factual accuracy of the draft report.

German Parcel

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the Minister for Science reconciles his statement to the House of Lords on 11 July (H.L. Deb., col. 181) that, "when one refers to the department giving authority to the report, that must mean Ministers", with his reply to a question by Lord Razzall on 12 October (H.L. Deb., col. 498) that, "Noble Lords will appreciate that the report is agreed by the Permanent Secretary, not by departmental Ministers. It is a matter for the NAO and the Public Accounts Committee, and it is the Permanent Secretary who takes the role of accounting officer".

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Policy proposals on disclosure of information about major transactions by the Post Office have been developed and implemented in the light of experience with Post Office acquisitions, including German Parcel. As I made clear during the passage of the Postal Services Bill, Ministers considered and agreed a number of specific provisions on disclosure that will be incorporated in the company's Memorandum and Articles. The aim of these provisions is to give effect to the White Paper commitment that the Post Office be transparent in its operations and accounting and demonstrate that it is competing fairly with its competitors. As I explained during debate on the noble Baroness' amendments, the requirements are analogous to those of the Stock Exchange.
	Officials informed NAO of the policy on disclosure requirements adopted by Ministers. The NAO reflected this in its German Parcel report in the following terms:
	"The Department has told us that it accepts our argument that there is a case for the Post Office and other similar public sector bodies to accept analogous rules to those of the Stock Exchange." (p. 44, paragraph 3.12)
	When, during Third Reading of the Postal Services Bill on 11 July, I spoke of ministerial agreement and authorisation, I had in mind that Ministers decide policy, as indeed they decided the policy on disclosure requirements which is being incorporated in the Memorandum and Articles and which is referred to in the NAO report.
	On 12 October I was explaining the procedures relating to NAO audit reports and that responsibility for commenting on the accuracy and completeness of the facts as presented by the NAO rests with the Departmental Accounting Officer.

Departmental Cars

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the Government Car and Despatch Agency dispose of cars after use.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr Nick Matheson, to write to the noble Lord.
	Letter to Lord Hoyle from the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency, Mr Nick Matheson, dated 25 October.
	Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, has asked me in my capacity as the Chief Executive responsible for the Government Car and Despatch Agency to reply to your parliamentary Question about how this agency disposes of its cars.
	GCDA's normal practice is to dispose of cars by public auction, so ensuring that the best trade price is obtained. However, cars that have been specially constructed to provide enhanced security are not made available to the public once they have reached the end of their working life, but are stripped down or used for training purposes.